Controller Front Panel

Cone-Fire (not labeled on panel)

Ramp-Hold

Present Status (Current segment and board temp)

Alarm

Quick Menu

Delay

Program Review

Cone #s (Cone Table)
Skip Segment

Stop Key

The Keypad
The controller is easy to master once you understand that the keys have two functions:

1. Select and Operation - Press a key to start the operation shown in the top half of the key. Most operations begin by pressing START from 'IdLE' display. Some operations begin during firing.

2. Type Numbers - After beginning an operation, press keys to enter numbers, such as time and temperature.

Precautions

The controller is used to control temperature, it is not a safety device.

Do not operate the controller in temperatures above 125 °F.

Never leave your kiln unattended at the end of a firing.

The controller contains electronic components which are sensitive to static electricity. Before handling the controller dissipate any static charge you may have by touching metal or a screw on the controller panel, the electrical box, the kiln lid, or some other grounded object.

Always check the position of the thermocouple probe before starting a firing. The current temperature displayed on the controller is measured at the end of the thermocouple.

Always review the current program before firing to ensure the correct profile is programmed.

Overview of How the Controller Funnctions

You enter a program that tells the controller what temperature you want to fire to and at what rate you want the temperature to rise. The controller uses a thermocouple (t/c) to sense the temperature in the kiln. The temperature is measured at the tip of the t/c so it is important that the tip be 1½" to 2" inside the kiln wall. When START is pressed, the controller reads the kiln temperature and uses that temperature as a starting point for a traveling set-point. The controller then calculates how much power is needed to keep the temperature equal to the traveling set-point and cycles the electricity to the elements so the correct amount of power is applied. As the firing progresses, the controller moves the traveling set-point according to the programmed firing rate and recalculates how much power is needed to keep the temperature at the new traveling set-point.

You can enter a program in two different ways. The cone fire method is the easiest and is designed for firing ceramics to ensure correct heat-work for each cone number and firing rate. With as few as six key presses, you can have a firing programmed and started. The vary-fire method allows more complicated profiles and more freedom but is slightly more difficult to program. Vary-fire programs are used for firing such things as glass, jewelry, and crystalline glazes.

Getting Started

Do NOT fire your kiln or furnace until you have read this section and Cone-Fire Basics or Ramp-Hold Basics. TO use your controller to its fullest capacity, read the advanced sections and Additional Features.

Testing and Recording
      You will learn much by testing. How slowly should clay be heated through quartz inversion? How slowly must you cool glass through the annealing range? Find out for yourself by testing. The RTC 1000 can precisely control every stage of firing, so you can easily experiment and test.
      Keep a notebook of firing records. When you fire similar projects weeks later, after you have forgotten the details of your previous firing, you will be grateful for your records.

Room Temperature and Humidity
      It is okay to store the RTC 1000 at subzero temperatures. But before operating, raise the room temperature to at least 0°F/-18°C.
      The circuit board is rated for 155°F/68°C maximum operating temperature. However, maximum temperature for rated accuracy is 125°F/52°C. If the board gets hotter, open windows and exhaust hot air from the room. (See instructions for checking circuit board temperatures.)
      High humidity will not adversely affect the RTC 1000 unless water condenses on the circuit board. If this happens, do not fire the kiln until the moisture has evaporated from the board.

IdLE and CPL Messages
      The controller displays 'ErrP' when you first apply power. Press ENTER. 'ErrP' will change to 'IdLE' and a flashing temperature. Operations being from 'IdLE'.
      If the display shows 'FAIL' instead of 'IdLE', the thermocouple is either disconnected or burned out.
      'CPL' means "completed". The controller will display 'CPL', then 'IdLE', after it performs such actions as changing from °F to °C display. 'CPL' may remain after a while before 'IdLE' appears. Please be patient ---the controller is processing data.

Which Instructions to Use
The RTC 1000 fires in two modes

1. Ceramic Cone-Fire, based on pyrometric cones

2. Ramp-Hold, based on firing rates and target temperatures.

      Ceramic kilns, usually top-loading, use both Cone-Fire and Ramp-Hold. Heat-treating, glass fusing, and enameling furnaces and kilns usually come with ramp-hold only.

FAST, MEDIUM, SLOW, CONE-FIRE, AND Cone #s printed on the controller faceplate apply to Cone-Fire Mode.

How to Tell if You Have Cone-Fire

1. From 'IdLE' display, press ENTER then 1. If 'ConE' appears, you have Cone-Fire mode. If '----' appears, you have Ramp-Hold mode only.

2. Bring the controller back to 'IdLE' display:      a) From '----', press STOP. 'IdLE' will appear.      b) From 'ConE', press ENTER 3 times slowly. 'CPL', then 'IdLE' will appear.

If you have Cone-Fire, this entire manual applies to your controller. If you have Ramp-Hold only, you may skip to the Ramp-Hold section of the manual.

Care of the Thermocouple
      The small metal rod protruding into the firing chamber is the temperature sensor, or thermocouple. This could affect the temperature reading.
      Bumping the thermocouple during loading can damage it or push it out of the firing chamber. It should protrude into the firing chamber at least 1/2 " - 5/8". (Do not be concerned if your thermocouple extends even farther.)
      Avoid firing clay with a high sulfur content. The sulfur erodes the thermocouple making it brittle and easy to break.

Display Dots
Single Center Dot: Time
A lower center dot appears during time display. It separates hours from minutes (i.e. 1 hour, 30 minutes displays as 1.30). During temperature display, the dot disappears.
Single Right-Hand Dot: °C
When a temperature is displayed in °C, a lighted dot appears in the lower right. In °F it disappears.
Three Dot Display: Power Monitoring
To adjust temperature, the RTC 1000 sends power to the relay(s) intermittently. The relays, in turn, power the heating elements. To monitor when the relays are turned on, press 8 during firing. When three dots appear along the bottom display, relays are receiving power.
      To turn off Power Monitoring, press 8 again. This feature is used mostly for diagnostics.

Correcting Entries
      If you enter the wrong temperature, cone, time, etc., while programming, enter 0000. Then enter the correct numbers before pressing ENTER.

The Stop Key
      You can stop a firing at any time by pressing the STOP button.
      If you inadvertently enter Ramp-Hold, you do not have to go through all the prompts to get back out. Press STOP when 'USEr' appears. That will take you back to 'IdLE'.
      If you inadvertently enter Cone-Fire, STOP will NOT take you back to 'IdLE'. Press ENTER after each Cone-Fire prompt until 'CPL', then 'IdLE' appears.
      If you inadvertently press MENU, you can get back to 'IdLE' by pressing STOP.

Cool-Down Temperature Display
      When the firing is finished 'CPLt' will display alternating with the total firing time in hours and minutes. To view the current kiln temperature as the kiln cools, press ENTER. 'CPLt' will disappear. Then temperature will display.

Repeat Firings
      To repeat the previous firing, press ENTER twice from 'IdLE'. The kiln will begin firing. This works in both Cone-Fire and Ramp-Hold. But first, make sure you are repeating the correct firing by using "Program Review" below.

Program Review
      When you select a firing program in Cone-Fire or Ramp0Hold and go back to 'IdLE', you have called a program from storage. It is then ready to fire. "Program Review" shows you the values for that program.
      To start "Program Review" from 'IdLE', press ENTER, then 6. Values for the program selected for firing will display one after the other. You can also use "Program Review" during firing simply by pressing 6.

TIP: In Program Review, values for a program display about one per second. You can speed up this display by pressing 1 repeatedly. If you hold down the key values will speed by. This works from both 'IdLE' and during firing.

Pyrometric Witness Cones in Ceramic Firings
      Though the RTC 1000 fires electronically, every ceramic firing should include shelf or witness cones. They measure heat work accurately and give a history of the firing.
      If you fire the same sized load and type of ware regularly, the shelf cones let you compare one firing to the next and alert you when something is wrong. For example, if the shelf cone bends farther and farther with each consecutive firing, this may indicate thermocouple temperature drift.
      Keep cones 3 " from the peephole to avoid cool air drafts. Wear firing safety glasses when viewing the cones at high temperature. Your dealer can tell you which cone number to use for each clay and glaze.

When Kiln Shuts Off Too Soon
      If the kiln shuts off below maturity, you can turn it back on and keep firing. Simply program a higher temperature or hotter cone. Then from 'IdLE', press START twice. The kiln will begin firing, taking up where it left off.
      Ceramic firings: if the kiln shuts off within 100°F/50°C of maturity, and the temperature drops 50°F/28°C or more after the kiln shuts off, do not depend on the pyrometric witness cones in the kiln. Once the cones cool 50°F/28°C after they have been heated within 100°F/50°C or maturity they will not bend properly. This is due to the formation of a hard shell.

Ceramic Cone-Fire

      Cone-Fire mode is based on pyrometric cones. It is not designed for heat-treating, glass fusing and enameling. For these firings, see Ramp Hold. Use Ramp-Hold to fire ceramic pieces that require a custom firing schedule, such as some types of stoneware sculpture or crystalline glaze. To fire faster than Cone-Fire Fast speed, use Ramp-Hold.

Cone-Fire Basics
Firing Speeds
      Cone-Fire operates in Fast, Medium, or Slow speed. The instructions that follow will show you how to select speed.
      To view the firing segment of a cone-fire, press 5 during firing (See Present Status). The segment number will appear (see left column in the following charts), informing you of how far the firing has progressed.
Fast (1)
      Consider Fast for overglazes, decals, china paint, or small, thin-walled ceramic greenware.

Cone-Fire Fast Firing Schedule

Medium (2)
      Use Medium for larger slip-cast pieces or more tightly loaded kilns.

Cone-Fire Medium Firing Schedule

Slow (3)
      Use Slow for hand-thrown or heavily cast pieces, stoneware, and porcelain.

Cone-Fire Slow Firing Schedule

Hold
      Cone-Fire "Hold" heat-soaks the ware at the end of the firing. Without Hold time, the kiln shuts off after it reaches the cone temperature. With Hold time, the kiln maintains the cone temperature for the period you specify. Hold time helps even out the temperature throughout the kiln. It also helps the heat to penetrate completely into the clay. Rapid firing is like cooking: the turkey will be done on the outside but not on the inside. Hold helps glaze absorb china paint. It helps to heal glaze defects such as bubbles. A little hold time can yield dramatic results.
      CAUTION: Too much hold time can overfire your ware and burn out colors.
      One way to add Hold time without over-firing is to fire to one cone cooler than needed. Then add enough hold time to bend the next hotter cone. Hold time needed will vary. As a rule of thumb, one hour of hold = one cone of heat work.

Example: to fire to cone 05½, program Cone-Fire for 05 and add 30 minutes of hold time.

      Watch the pyrometric shelf cones through the peephole. Press STOP when the correct shelf cone bends, noting how much Hold time was needed. Program that much Hold time the next time you fire the same type of ware loaded to the same capacity. You can hold for up to 99 hours and 99 minutes.
      You will learn by experiment with ceramics. Hold is one more tool to experiment with.

Pre-Heating the Ware
      Moist greenware can explode during firing. This happens when the moisture in the clay turns to steam rapidly and cannot easily escape. The RTC 1000 "Pre-Heat" feature dries the ware at low temperature before the moisture can turn to steam.
      Pre-Heat is necessary when firing thick greenware, such as stoneware. It may also be necessary in humid weather, which inhibits drying. If possible, however, avoid using Pre-Heat to dry greenware. If the greenware feels damp or cool when you touch it to your cheek, dry it longer before firing. Use a dehumidifier in humid weather. Drying greenware in the kiln tends to rust the kiln.

TIP: During Pre-Heat, vent the lid. Otherwise the firebricks will absorb moisture, leading to rust behind the stainless steel case. Moisture in the firebrick will also slow the kiln to a crawl when firing begins.

      Venting the lid during Pre-Heat is so important that some ceramists use the extended vent position or even leave the lid open. If you do this, you must e near your kiln at the end of Pre-Heat to lower the lid.
      Pre-Heat raises the temperature 60°F/33°C per hour to 200°F/93°C. Then it holds at 200°F/93°C for the time you specify. Pre-Heat works in Cone-Fire only. After Pre-Heat is finished, the kiln will automatically begin firing to the cone you have selected. Pre-Heat zeroes out after each firing.
      After entering the cone number, speed, etc., in the Cone-Fire program, activate Pre-Heat as follows. Then begin firing.

1. Press ENTER.

2. Press 0 repeatedly until 'PrHt' appears.

3. Press ENTER. 'HLd' alternating with '00.00'.

4. Enter Pre-Heat hold time in hours and minutes (i.e. 1 hour 30 minutes = 01.30).

5. Press ENTER. 'CPL' will appear, then 'IdLE'.

AOP
      The optional "AOP" (Auxiliary Output) is an electrical outlet, usually mounted in the kiln's switch box. The AOP outlet can power a kiln vent or other appliance. If your kiln is equipped with AOP, 'AOP' will appear in Cone-Fire after 'HoLD'. (If 'AOP' does not appear in the display, your kiln is not equipped with AOP.)
      When set to OFF, the AOP outlet receives power during the Cone-Fire firing. At the end of the firing, the AOP shuts off.
      When set to ON, the AOP remains powered during both Cone-Fire firing and cooling. It shuts off after the kiln cools to 150°F/66°C.

TIP: For slow cooling in Cone-Fire, select AOP OFF.

Adjusting AOP in Cone-Fire

1. After programming Cone, Speed, and Hold, 'AOP' will appear, alternating with 'On' or 'OFF'.

2. To Change the setting, press 1, then ENTER. 'CPL' will appear, followed by 'IdLE'.

Advanced Cone-Fire
Built-in Cone Table
      For your convenience, the controller can look up a pyrometric cone temperature. Do not be concerned, however, if your kiln's cone shut-off temperature of a cone varies depending on firing speed.

1. From 'IdLE', touch ENTER then 9. 'ConE' will appear, then the cone currently programmed in Cone-Fire Mode.

2. Enter the pyrometric cone number you are looking up. Then touch ENTER. The display will show the cone temperature. If you enter a non-existent cone number, the display will show 'ConE', ready for you to enter a different cone number.

Cone temperatures displayed are for self-supporting cones fired at a rate of 108°F during the last hour.

Firing History in Cone-Fire
      When the kiln fires to completion, 'CPLt' will flash, alternating with total firing time in hours and minutes. To view the final temperature the kiln reached, press ENTER. 'IdLE' will appear. Press ENTER then 6 (Program Review). Final firing temperature will display along with the cone, speed, and hold.
Fine-Tuning Shelf Cones with Cone Offset ('CnoS')
      Sometimes the pyrometric cone programmed in Cone-Fire does not match the bending of the cone on the kiln shelf. Using "Cone Offset" you can adjust to fire hotter or cooler.
      IMPORTANT: Cone Offset adjusts the firing temperature individually for each pyrometric cone number. Adjusting one cone has no effect on the other cones. To adjust all the cones equally, use Thermocouple Offsets.
      For instance, the controller fires shelf cone 018 to a perfect six o'clock bend. But at cone 6, the shelf cone over-fires. Using Cone Offset, you could lower cone 6 firing temperatures without affecting the perfect results you are getting at cone 018.

TIP: Before using Cone Offset, check that the thermocouple is protruding into the firing chamber by at least 1/2" - 5/8". Sometimes bumping a shelf against a thermocouple pushes t out of the firing chamber, thereby preventing accurate temperature readings.

How to Use Cone Offset

1. From 'IdLE', press ENTER.

2. Press 0 until 'CnoS' appears.

3. Press ENTER. 'ConE' will appear, alternating with last cone number entered in Cone-Fire. Enter the new cone number.

4. Press ENTER. '°FOS' (or '°COS' for Celsius) will appear, alternating with '9000' or an adjustment number.

5. Enter adjustment number (see chart). Then press ENTER. 'CPL' will appear, then temperature and 'IdLE'.

      You can raise or lower firing chamber temperature for each cone from 1-50°F/1-28°C. Place 00 in front of the number to make the kiln fire hotter. Place 90 in front to make it fire cooler.
      The following chart contains seven examples of Cone Offsets. Program any temperature in the 01-50°F/1-28°C range, hotter or cooler, using these examples as a guide.

Cone Offset Examples, °F

* Cone Offset works in °C the same as in °F. In the above examples, replace °F with equivalent °C.
Once you enter a Cone Offset number, Cone-Fire will remain adjusted to that number for that cone until you change it again. Keep a written record of Cone Offset Adjustments.

Cone-Fire Programming

      Use these instructions for your first firings. Later you may prefer Cone-Fire Quick Reference.
      As the RTC 1000 prompts for cone, speed, etc., values entered for the last firing will appear. To use these values again, press ENTER.
      To fire without Delay or Alarm: Follow steps 1-6 below. Then from 'IdLE' press START twice.

1. Apply power to the kiln.

2. 'ErrP' will appear. Press ENTER. 'IdLE' will appear.

3. Press ENTER then 1. 'ConE' will appear. Enter cone number. (If '----' appears instead of 'ConE', your controller uses Ramp-Hold only.)

4. Press ENTER. 'SPd' will appear. Enter speed: Fast (1), Medium (2), Slow (3).

5. Press ENTER. 'HLd' will appear. Enter hold time, if any, in hours and minutes (i.e. 12 hours and 30 minutes = 12.30).

6. Press ENTER. 'IdLE' will appear.

7. To set alarm, press ENTER then 7. 'ALAr' will appear. Enter alarm temperature. (Enter 9999 to turn alarm off.) Then press ENTER.

8. To set delay fire, press ENTER then 3. 'dELA' will appear. Enter delay time in hours and minutes (i.e. 12 hours and 30 minutes = 12.30). Press ENTER. (Delay zeroes out after each firing.)

9. To start program, press ENTER twice. '-On-' will appear, then time remaining until start. To stop the program during fire, press STOP.

Ramp-Hold

      Ramp-Hold fires in segments. Each segment has an end temperature, a degrees per hour rate to reach that temperature, and a hold time.

Ramp-Hold Basics
User Programs
      When you enter Ramp-Hold mode, the first prompt to appear is 'USEr', meaning, "Select a User Program". A user program is a firing schedule stored in memory.
It includes:

1. Number of segments needed

2. Rate (how fast temperature changes in degrees per hour) for each segment

3. Target temperature for each segment

4. Hold, if any, for each segment

5. Alarm temperature, if any

      The controller can retain six user programs in memory even when power to the kiln is turned off.
      If using Ramp-Hold for the first time, press 1 when 'USEr' appears. Your first firing will be stored as User Program #1.
      Each time you store another program, select the next available number, such as 2, at the 'USEr' prompt. Write down the firing profiles of your User Command.
      When you use a stored program, select the program number at the 'USEr' prompt. Press ENTER. If there are no changes to the program, press STOP. 'CPL' will appear, then 'IdLE'. The controller is ready to fire your selected program.
Segments
      A "Segment" fires to a target temperature. It includes a rate and, if needed, a hold. Every time you need to change firing speed or hold a temperature, add another segment. You have up to eight segments available in User Program. You don't have to use all eight segments - only the number needed per firing. Often one segment is all you will need.
      For complex firings, Ramp-Hold can be fired in 16 segments instead of the standard eight.
Rate
      Each segment must include a rate, programmed as degrees of temperature change per hour. One way to figure rate is to divide firing temperature by number of hours needed to fire. Maximum rate is 9999. When you enter 9999, the controller will heat as fast as your furnace or kiln is capable.
      If you are not sure about how fast to fire, remember the old firing adage: "When in doubt, slow it down."
Hold
      "Hold" in Ramp-Hold maintains the target temperature of a segment for the time you specify. Hold gives the temperature time to become more even throughout the kiln. Hold can be used in either heating up or cooling down segments.
      Wearing firing safety glasses, watch the pyrometric cones on the shelf near the end of the firing. When the shelf cone bends, note the hold time. The next time you fire the same type of ware loaded to the same capacity, program that amount of hold time.

AOP
      The optional "AOP" (Auxiliary Output) is an electrical outlet, usually mounted to the kiln's switch box. The AOP outlet can power a kiln vent or other appliance. If your kiln is equipped with AOP, 'AOP' will appear in Ramp-Hold after 'SEG'. (If 'AOP' does not appear in the display, your kiln is not equipped with AOP.) In Ramp-Hold, AOP can be turned on or off for each segment.

Adjusting AOP in Ramp-Hold

1. After selecting the User Program and number of segments, 'AOP1', alternating with 'On' or 'OFF', will appear.

2. To change the setting, press 1, then ENTER. Continue entering rate, temperature, hold, etc. for segment 1. As you continue programming, turn AOP on or off in each segment.

Advanced Ramp-Hold
Segments for Controlled Cooling
      For controlled cooling, program a segment to a lower temperature than that of the receding segment.
Skip Segment
      You may need to skip a segment in Ramp-Hold. For instance, you are firing to cone 05 for the first time. You program the last segment to soak for 30 minutes at 1850°F. (This is a few degrees below cone 05.) You are not sure at what temperature the cone will bend during this firing.
      At 1850°F, the alarm beeps, alerting you to check the witness cone on the shelf. You look into peephole every few minutes to check the cone. After a 10-minute hold, the shelf cone 05 bends to maturity. Using "Skip Segment", the controller begins a cool-down segment. Skip Segment stops the current segment and starts the next segment.
      Skip Segment works only during firing and only in Ramp-Hold, not Cone-Fire. To skip a segment, press 9. 'SStP' will appear. If you change your mind and don't want to skip that segment, do nothing and the firing will continue as it was. If you still want to skip the segment, press ENTER. 'rA' will appear along with the segment number you just skipped to.

Press 5 ("Present Status") if you are not sure which segment the firing has reached. Then skip the segment.

16 Segment Firing (16-S)
      Sixteen segment firing combines Ramp-Hold user programs 5 and 6 into one continues firing. You can use all 16 segments, or only a few segments from each program. Program 5 will fire first, then program six.

1. Press ENTER, then 4. 'USEr' will appear, alternating with the last user program entered.

2. Press 5 (user program 5), then ENTER. Using Ramp-Hold instructions, enter the values for all segments needed in program 5.

3. 'IdLE' and temperature will display after program 5 is entered. From 'IdLE', press ENTER, then 4.

4. 'USEr' will appear, alternating with 5. Press 6 (user program 6), then press ENTER. As before with program 5, enter the values for all segments needed in program 6.

5. 'IdLE' will appear after program 6 is entered. Press ENTER, then PROGRAM REVIEW. Make sure all values for user program 6 are correct. After reviewing the program, 'IdLE' will appear.

6. From 'IdLE', press ENTER, then 4. 'USEr' will appear, alternating with 6. Press 5, then ENTER.

7. Press STOP. 'CPL' will appear, then 'IdLE' and temperature. Program 5 is now selected in Ramp-Hold.

8. From 'IdLE', press 0 repeatedly until '16-S' appears. Press ENTER.

9. 'OFF' or 'On' will appear. Press 1 to change 'OFF' to 'On'. 'On' will appear. Press ENTER. 'CPL' will appear, then 'IdLE'.

10. Begin firing by pressing ENTER twice.

'16-S' appears under MENU only after user program 5 has been selected in Ramp-Hold.
When you use Program Review for a 16 segment firing, user program 5 will appear. Then '16-S', 'On', to confirm that your program is the 16 segment. However, the values for user program 6 will not appear in Program Review.

Ramp-Hold Programming

      Use these instructions for your first firings. Later you may prefer Ramp-Hold Quick Reference.
      As the program prompts for segments, rate, temperature, etc., you will see values from the last firing. To use these again, press ENTER. To control cooling, set the segment to a lower temperature than that of the preceding segment.
      To fire without a timed Delay: Follow steps 1 through 8, then press START twice.

1. Apply power to the kiln. 'ErrP' will appear. Press ENTER. 'IdLE' and kiln temperature will appear.

2. Press ENTER then 4. 'USEr' will appear. Enter a number from 1-6 for the stored program desired.

3. Press ENTER. 'SEGS' will appear. Enter number of segments needed.

4. Press ENTER. 'rA 1' will appear. Enter firing rate for segment 1 (temperature change per hour: from 1° - 9999°).

5. Press ENTER. '°F 1' (or '°C 1' ) will appear. Enter the target temperature or segment 1.

6. Press ENTER. 'HLd1' will appear. Enter segment 1 hold time in hours/minutes (i.e. 12 hours and 30 minutes = 12.30). No hold = 00.00.

7. Press ENTER. Continue entering values for all segments.

8. Press ENTER. 'ALAr' will appear. Enter alarm temperature. (Enter 9999 to turn alarm off.) Then press ENTER. 'CPL' will appear, then 'IdLE'.

9. To set Delay Fire, press ENTER twice. 'dELA' will appear. Enter delay time in hours/minutes (i.e. 12 hours and 30 minutes = 12.30). Then press ENTER. (Delay zeroes out after each completed firing). 'CPL' will appear, then 'IdLE'.

10. To start program, press ENTER twice. '-On-' will appear, then kiln temperature. If delay was programmed, '-On-' will appear then time remaining until start.

      To stop the firing, press STOP. When program fires to completion 'CPLt' will appear. Press STOP. 'IdLE' will appear, alternating with cool-down temperature. To shut off the alarm when it sounds during a firing press ENTER.

Additional Features

Selecting °F or °C (CHG°)
      The controller operates in your choice of °F or °C temperature. In °C display, a lighted dot appears in the lower right. In °F, it disappears. To switch from °F to °C or vice versa:

1. From 'IdLE', press ENTER.

2. Press 0 repeatedly until 'CHG°' appears.

3. Press ENTER. '°F' or '°C' will appear.

4. To change, press 1.

5. Press ENTER. 'CPL' will appear, meaning the change has been completed.

°F/°C Temperature Conversion Formula
      Below are formulas for converting temperature between °F and °C. Converting a firing rate requires a different formula than firing temperature:

Firing Temperature
(i.e. "Fire to 1600°F." 1600°F = 871°C)

(°C x 1.8) + 32 = °F
(°F - 32) divided by 1.8 = °C

Firing Rate and Temperature Change
(i.e. "Fire at 200°F per hour" or "Fire 200°F hotter" 200°F = 111°C)

°C x 1.8 = °F
°F divided by 1.8 = °C

Delay Fire
      The Delay Fire programs the kiln to begin firing later. Use it to adjust the firing to suit your schedule or to take advantage of lower electric rates at night.
      It zeroes out after each completed firing. To set the Delay, follow earlier instructions for entering the Cone-Fire or Ramp-Hold firing program. Then press ENTER, then 3. Enter the delay time in hours/minutes. (i.e. 12 hours and 30 minutes = 12.30). To begin firing, press ENTER twice.
      WARNING: Never leave your kiln unattended near the end of a firing. We cannot guarantee your kiln against overfiring even though the controller is automatic. The operator assumes full responsibility for shutting the kiln off at the proper time.

Temperature Alarm

The alarm beeps when a preset temperature is reached. Use the alarm to alert you to:

1. Lower the lid from venting position.

2. Check the witness cone near shut-off time.

3. Check the fusing or slumping of glass.

4. Remove the knife blade from the furnace at the end of heat training.

      You can enter only one alarm temperature at a time. However, after the alarm beeps, you can set the alarm for another temperature as many times as you want during the firing. You can enter a higher or lower temperature than the current temperature.

Setting the Alarm From Idle

1. From 'IdLE', press ENTER then 7. 'ALAr' will appear alternating with the last alarm temperature entered.

2. Enter desired alarm temperature. Then touch ENTER. 'IdLE' will appear. (Enter 9999 to turn alarm off.)

      When the alarm sounds, shut it off by ENTER. (Do not press STOP to turn off the alarm.) If the alarm sounds as soon as the furnace or kiln begins firing, it is because the alarm was set to 0000, or any temperature below room temperature.

Setting Alarm During Firing

1. The alarm beeps while the kiln is firing. Press 7.

2. Enter the new alarm temperature.

3. Press ENTER. The kiln will continue firing.

      CAUTION: If you touch 7, enter a new temperature, and forget to press ENTER, the firing will stop and the kiln will begin to cool down. You must press ENTER after entering the new alarm movement.

Present Status: Current Segment and Traveling Set-Point Temperature
      "Present Status" displays the current segment of a firing and temperature of the circuit board.
      Knowing which segment you are in is especially useful for firings with both heating-up and cooling-down segments. Present Status works with both Cone-Fire and Ramp-Hold. (See Cone-Fire firing schedules)
      To use present Status, press 5 during a firing. The following information will display momentarily. Then normal temperature display will return:

1. Ramp ('RA') or Hold ('HLd') followed by segment number.

2. Local Set Point, the temperature the controller is trying to reach to maintain the correct rate.

3. Circuit Board Temperature

      High temperatures in the switch box can damage the controller circuit board. The circuit board is rated for 155°F/68°C maximum operating temperature. Maximum temperature for rated accuracy is 125°F/52°C. The controller board can operate safely at 155°F/68°C, although 125°F/52°C is preferable. If necessary, exhaust hot air from the room to lower board temperature. When firing several kilns, position them at least three feet apart to allow adequate air circulation.

Checking Circuit Board Temperature from IdLE

1. Press ENTER.

2. Press 0 repeatedly until 'bd t' (board temperature) appears.

3. Press ENTER. The board temperature will appear, followed by 'StOP', and then the firing chamber temperature.

Power Failures The RTC 1000 handles a power failure in two ways: 1. A PF display, alternating with firing temperature, means firing was interrupted by a brief power failure. The firing will continue. PF is only to inform you of a brief power failure. Press ENTER, and normal temperature display will return. 2. A steady ErrP display means firing was interrupted by an extended power failure. When ErrP appears, the kiln heating elements will stay shut off. The following three situations cause ErrP messages: a) The power failure lasted longer than 1 ½ hours. b) The kiln cooled off more than 250°F/139°C while the power was off. c) Cone-Fire mode only: the power failed within 100°F/56°C of the shut-off temperature. When the ErrP power failure message appears, press ENTER. The hours fired and temperature reached, before the power failed, will appear followed by IdLE. To resume firing, press ENTER twice. The kiln will begin firing again from its present temperature. For example, the kiln reached 1000°F/538°C before power failed. When you turn the kiln back on, the temperature is 700°F/371°C. Firing will resume from 700°F/538°C. You do not need to cool the kiln to room temperature before starting over unless you use witness cones (See next section). When you resume firing by pressing ENTER twice, the controller begins firing again from segment one. If the temperature is already higher than that of segment one, the controller skips to the next segment. When it finds a segment with a higher target temperature, it begins firing in that segment. For this reason, a power failure during a ramping down (cooling) segment can confuse the controller. When you resume firing, the controller will begin firing from a ramping up (heating) segment rather than the ramping down segment. Firing Ceramics After an Extended Power Failure 1. The firing was interrupted below 100°F/56°C of maturity: Fire the ware again. It is okay to use the same partially fired witness cones, even if they cooled back down to room temperature. As long as the cones did not reach within 100°F/56°C of maturity. 2. The ware fired within 100°F/56°C of maturity: Fire the ware again but do not use same witness cones. Use new ones. Thermocouple Offset (tCOS) The thermocouple is the 1/8" diameter rod protruding into the firing chamber. It measures temperature. Thermocouples can "drift" as they age, causing inaccurate temperature readings. (This may be so slight that you won't notice it.) To calibrate the controller to compensate for drift, use "Thermocouple Offset". TIP: Before using Thermocouple Offset, check that the thermocouple is protruding into the firing chamber by at least 1/2" - 5/8". Sometimes bumping a shelf against a thermocouple pushes t out of the firing chamber, thereby preventing accurate temperature readings. Thermocouple Offset for Ceramic Firings In ceramics, Cone Offset (see page 4) adjusts each pyrometric cone without affecting the other cones. Thermocouple Offset, on the other hand, affects all cones equally, and all Ramp-Hold firings. A 5°F hotter setting in Thermocouple Offset fires everything 5°F hotter. If you find that all of your cones are consistently under- or over-firing, adjust Thermocouple Offset. If you need to adjust only a particular cone, use Cone Offset. Calibrating Thermocouple Offset with a Thermocouple Standard or Pyrometer. A thermocouple standard is a device that calibrates pyrometers and controllers. If you do not have a thermocouple standard, you can calibrate Thermocouple Offset using a calibrated digital pyrometer. One way to calibrate your digital pyrometer is to take it to a heat treater or other location that has a calibrated controller you can trust. Take a reading with your pyrometer. Either zero it out to match the other heat source, or write down the temperature difference between your pyrometer and the reliable source. Store your pyrometer. Use it only for calibrating controllers. Thus, it remains a reliable calibration standard. Adjust Thermocouple Offset to compensate for any temperature difference between the controller and the calibrated pyrometer or thermocouple standard. Setting Thermocouple Offset You can raise or lower firing chamber temperature from 1-50°F/1-28°C. If the kiln is firing too hot, place 90 and 01-50°F/1-28°C. If the kiln is too cool, place 00 before 01-50°F/1-28°C. The following chart contains seven examples of Thermocouple Offsets. Program any temperature in the 01-50°F/1-28°C range, hotter or cooler, using these examples as a guide. Thermocouple Offset Examples, °F 0001 Kiln will fire 1°F Cooler 0030 Kiln will fire 30°F Cooler 0049 Kiln will fire 49°F Cooler 0000 or 9000 No Adjustment 9005 Kiln will fire 5°F Hotter 9040 Kiln will fire 40°F Hotter 9049 Kiln will fire 49°F Hotter * Thermocouple Offset works in °C the same as in °F. In the above examples, replace °F with equivalent °C. Directions for Thermocouple Offsets: 1. From IdLE, press ENTER. 2. Press 0 repeatedly until tCOS appears. 3. Press ENTER. °FOS (or °COS) will appear, alternating with the current thermocouple offset. (Factory setting is 00.00) 4. Enter the new offset (i.e. 9005). Press ENTER. IdLE will appear. To reset Thermocouple Offset back to 0000, press ENTER then 0. RSEt will appear, then press ENTER. Turning Off Error Codes (ErCd) The RTC 1000 uses error codes to alert you to firing problems. In certain applications, it may be desirable to turn off some of the error codes. For instance, error code Err1 appears when temperature rises slower than 12°F/12°C per hour. (In Ramp-Hold, the temperature is also below the programmed temperature.) Err1 may interfere when the door of the kiln is opened to remove certain materials, such as enameled pieces or heat-treated steel. "Error Codes" ErCd, when set to OFF, turns off error codes Err1, Err2, Err3, and Err4. During the last 250°F/139°C of a Cone-Fire program, the Err1,code will become active again even when ErCd is turned off. Setting Error Codes ON or OFF 1. Press ENTER from IdLE. 2. Press 0 repeatedly until ErCd appears. 3. Press ENTER. On or OFF will appear. Press 1 to change the setting. 4. Press ENTER. CPL will appear, followed by temperature and IdLE. RSEt (from MENU key) can turn on error codes